Fourth-and-Goal (Div C) – Week 13

So it would seem that my procrastination has been rewarded with bad karma. I had put off writing the article, and when I did end up finishing it, I was plagued with all sorts of technical mishaps akin to a Monty Python sketch. Well, serves me right. So, as a result of that, two things will result from last week’s omission. One, I give my apologies to the teams (and the readers) who did not have something to read last week. Two (the bright side) is that I can take some of the content from last week’s article and add it to this one, and it’ll give you an even bigger article.
 
Even though you’ve gone almost two weeks without an article (Simon who?) I’m going to delve right into the action. Let’s take a look at all-things finals. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the treat we’re in for Sunday night.
 
Daron Basmadjian Fan Club vs. Broccasion
(For all intents and purposes: As this will be largely an article chalk full of comparisons, any and all things below that are DBFC related will be regular font, and any and all things Broccasion will be italicized.)

 
The Road to the Finals.

Daron Basmadjian Fan Club

Final season record: 8-0-2 {Final season prediction 8-0-2}
 
Despite their Week 1 tie and the tie against conference rivals and behemoth team Prestige World Wide, the DBFC managed to walk away from the season with a solid (and undefeated) record. The combined record of their season opponents being 37-55-8 isn’t necessarily something in their favor, but wins are wins regardless. Come playoffs, they’ve put on a show every game, and have repeatedly managed to win convincingly.
 
Broccasion

Final season record: 9-1-0 {Final season prediction 9-1-0}
 
Despite their Week 1 loss (as per Marco Masciotra, should be attributed to his lateness,) Broccasion have seen similar dominance in their regular season matchups. They’ve also (at least on paper) faced a slightly more difficult opposition, beating opponents with a combined 41-52-7 record. Although they had similar steamrolling performances in the divisional round and quarterfinals, the semifinals gave them quite a scare with a one-point win which came down to the last play.

 
 
The Players

 
The Pivot

Matt Bishara has been the key to moving the beanbags forward for the DBFC. Be it with his arm or his feet, Matt will take what is given to him by opposing defenses. Possessing the ability to run efficiently, and throw while in movement makes his plays exceptionally difficult to read. Having been a defensive player first, his ability to read the field is akin to his ability to defend it on the other side of the ball. A top two-way threat.
 
Speaking of top two-way threats, meet THE top two-way threat in Division C. Two-time award winning Marco Masciotra throws with an air of confidence and poise of a much more experienced quarterback. He plays and leads like a veteran, driving his team to success and having the best TD/INT ratio in both the regular season and the playoffs. As a safety, he has the nasty habit of teaching opposing QBs a lesson by baiting them into throwing passes that he can easily cover.  
 
The Snap

In all honesty, I get the impression that most people don’t actually know who Chuck Diodati is to begin with. I’m sure that it isn’t a problem for the DBFC. With strong, consistent snaps coming the way of his QB, Chuck is able to buy his QB that extra second for another read of the field. This is an invaluable asset for any quarterback. In addition, the DBFC tend to knowingly under-utilize their center, which could be a useful ace in the sleeve come game time.
 
Hailing from the land of great hands and consistency is Faizan Munawar (I’m not actually certain if my claim of his origin can be backed up by fact). Faizan excels in making tight catches in traffic that you wouldn’t expect ANYONE to make. With the ability to make catches like clockwork, look for Faizan to be the one Broccasion goes to when they need that essential first down.
 
The Rush

The next big thing, Colin Taylor. Possessing an INSANE amount of speed, Taylor has got to be one of the fastest players in all of FPF. (Yes, I’d be willing to lay down bets). Taylor has one purpose and one purpose only: to force opposing QBs to get rid of the ball as fast as possible, or get sacked. He comes in with breakneck speed and forces them to go to either their first read, or throw without one at all. Another likely cause of all the interceptions on the DBFC defense.
 
A rusher that’s almost the complete opposite, Alec Cerantola. Possessing speed as well, Alec tends to arrive at the quarterback quickly, and force him to panic. Keeping the QB in the corner and forcing him to make a mistake is what Alec excels at. As such, it’s no surprise to see his sack and PD count rise as the QB gets more and more rattled.
 
The Big Play

Clearing an insane amount of field with every catch, Jordan McLaren is perhaps the biggest deep threat in the division. Not needing to even play offense full-time, Jordan is a deadly receiver with talent to spare. On the flip side, having a 2:1 interception to tackle ratio is something that not many safeties possess. He covers a deadly amount of field, and can simply out jump every receiver who has the misfortune of lining up against him.
 
Theo Ojeaha leads by example. Consistently demanding perfection and wanting to go for the kill every play, Theo is simply the best that Broccasion has to offer. Single-handedly filling the void that his brother left last season, Theo has been everything and more for this team, including a crutch to depend on. While “Mr. Ojawa” isn’t the only thing Broccasion has (as per Mr. Hurley,) he’s definitely a contributor to their success.
 
The Hands

Everyone knows what Eric Bishara is going to come at you with, and yet so many are powerless to stop it. With the ability to make cuts at lightning speed, you’d better be sure you have the ability to shift and tackle. Otherwise Bishara will be taking that 3 yard pass for a heck of a lot of gain. A smart player with great reads and football knowledge makes him a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball. As they say, speed kills.
 
Quite possibly Broccasion’s best kept secret, Justin Cerantola is a huge part of Marco Masciotra’s offense. He runs crisp routes and has a knack for finding the gap in the coverage. It would appear that Marco has the utmost of trust and faith in Cerantola’s ability. Considering the company that Masciotra has kept in previous seasons, Justin is in elite company.
 
The Height

Eddy Martinez is huge. Seriously. His size and wingspan make him a difficult person to cover, and a nuisance of a defender to throw around. In the past, he’s been a consistent staple on a very inconsistent team, and seems to be flourishing on the DBFC where his talent is complimented by those around him. Martinez could easily hold his own as a two-way Division B/Division 2 player.
 
Guillaume de Palma, all-world Vanier player. Guillaume could very well play any position on the field and hold his own. He’s got a vast array of football knowledge paired with ball and field awareness that very few possess. Don’t mistake his quiet demeanor for weakness, as he’ll make a play on you on either side of the ball.
 
The Mouth

Well, here’s to hoping that you’ve all seen the press conference. Because if you haven’t, you’ve missed out on the magic that is David Hurley. Just like in the press conference, Hurley has the ability to simultaneously fire up his team and get under the skin of anyone and everyone. He has the ability to back it up…but is it even necessary when you’re bringing out the worst in your opponents?
 
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Steve Hodhod. Steve will shy away from chirping with the other team, but will make sure that every member of his team hears him. He’s a huge motivating factor on and off the field (the leadership was evident as he led from the sidelines during an injury for 7 weeks.) He calls defensive schemes that bring out the best in his team, and demands perfection from those around him.
 
The Staple

Ladies and Gentlemen, Gordon Hogan. Hogan’s been a main contributor to every team that he’s been a part of. His lack of defensive statistics this season come from the fact that opposing QBs have decided that it’s safer to simply ignore his side of the field completely. While on offense, Hogan has the ability to out-jump defenders like no white man in existence before him. Having a solid history as a contact receiver, Hogan has impeccable hands and swagger like none other.
 
If you were to ask who the most underrated player in Division C was, Kyle Lebofsky would win by a landslide. There is simply no way of describing his contributions to his team, and as a player in general. Making things look effortless in comparison to those around him, Lebofsky is one of the best Division C has to offer, plain and simple.
 
The Soul

Rounding up the lineup is the Playmaker himself, Marco Ritondo. Brought in whenever the DBFC need a touchdown or a big play, Ritondo seems to be their man. Called “the X factor that teams would be dumb not to cover” by Matt Bishara, Ritondo is everything that the DBFC need in a team. He possesses height and presence, and the confidence of his team to put on his back.
 
Captain and leader Mark Provost has been with them through it all. Having great hands and a quiet humbleness to him, he manages to float under the radar many a game. Knowing what to do under pressure and always having the team’s best interests at heart is really all you need from your captain.
 
 
 
The Showdown

The DBFC are going to have to avoid getting complacent. Even if they assume that Broccasion are going to fall into a rhythm, they’re still going to need to anticipate change. The moment that they get taken by surprise, they’ll be playing catch-up.
 
Alternately, Broccasion know what’s coming. They simply need to devise an effective way of stopping it. Marco Masciotra UNDOUBTEDLY has an ace up his sleeve to throw the DBFC, and I’m sure that there’s a defensive scheme devised by Steve Hodhod.
 

The Prediction

Daron Basmadjian Fan Club.
 
 
 
 
 
PS: If you’re unable to make the finals, an incredible amount of effort is being put forth to accommodate you. Visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/andrewfpf Andrew D’Anna and Paolo Della Rocca will be broadcasting and live streaming Calling the Audible directly from the complex. There will be plenty of guests throughout, including yours truly. Do not miss it; it’s definitely a first of it’s kind.